Current Affairs January 6th - 12th

January 13, 2020
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Current Affairs
2020, January 6th– 12th
National News
1. Journalists’ Day celebrated on 6th January in Maharashtra
· Journalists’ Day is celebrated on 6th of January of every year in the state of Maharashtra.
· The day is celebrated in the memory of late thespian journalist Balshashtri Jambhekar.
· Balshastri Jambhekar, is also known as ‘The Father of Marathi Journalism’, for his efforts in starting journalism in Marathi language.
2. 2nd phase of Mission Indradhanush-2 begins
· The 2nd phase of Mission Indradhanush 2.0 rolled out at the block level in 35 districts of Uttar Pradesh.
· The aim of the program launched by the central government in 2017 is to achieve 90% vaccination coverage in children of less than 2 years in the state.
· Under the program around 66 thousand sessions will be organized for vaccination of more than 5.5 lakh children and around 1.3 lakh pregnant women of the state.
· The focus of immunization is on urban, underserved population and tribal areas. Intensified Mission Indradhanush will be conducted till March 2020.
3. Ex-CRPF DG Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar appointed as Advisor to J&K LG
· Former Director-General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar has been appointed as Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
· With this, the Lieutenant Governor of J&K Union Territory will have three Advisors.
· The other two Advisors: KK Sharma and Farooq Khan were appointed on November 14, 2019.
4. Challakere to be ISRO’s astronaut training hub
· The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has proposed Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) at Challakere in Chitradurga district of Karnataka.
· The facility is expected to become operational in 3 years.
· ISRO aims to establish a self-contained training facility here. At present, astronauts part of Gaganyaan Mission, the Human Spaceflight Programme of ISRO are trained in Russia.
· The centre aims at bringing in all the features that are provided by Russia and begin training astronauts within the country.
5. AIIMS’ Prof Suresh Chandra Sharma as first chief of NMC
· The chief of Delhi AIIMS’ ENT head-neck surgery department, Professor Suresh Chandra Sharma, was appointed the chairman of National Medical Commission.
· The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Sharma for a period of three years or till the age of 70 years.
· Rakesh Kumar Vats, the secretary-general in the board of governors of the Medical Council of India (MCI), has been appointed as the secretary of the Commission for the similar term.
6. H.K. Joshi appointed as CMD of Shipping Corporation of India
· Shipping Corporation of India has appointed Harjeet Kaur Joshi as the new Chairperson & Managing Director of the company.
· She will also hold the additional charge of the post of Director (Finance) of the company for a period of 3 months.
· She is a Fellow Member of The Institute of Cost Accountants of India.
7. Aayushi Dholakia becomes Miss Teen International 2019
· Aayushi Dholakia has bagged the title of Miss Teen International 2019.
· She also bagged the titles of Best in National Costume Award and Best in Speech Award.
· Girls from 22 countries participated in the event to win the coveted title. Yessenia Garcia from Paraguay and Anicia Gaothusi from Botswana became the First and second Runners-Up respectively.
· Miss Teen International is the world’s oldest running teen pageant.
8. International team of astronomers finds farthest galaxy group EGS77
· An international team of astronomers funded in part by NASA has found the farthest galaxy group identified as “EGS77“.
· EGS77, the trio of galaxies dates to a time when the universe was only 680 million years old, or less than 5% of its current age of 13.8 billion years. EGS77 is the farthest group of galaxies to have ever been sighted. EGS77 was discovered as part of the Cosmic Deep And Wide Narrowband (Cosmic DAWN) survey.
· The team of astronomers was led by an Indian-origin Goa-born scientist, Vithal Tilvi.
· Vithal Tilvi is currently a visiting researcher at the School of Earth & Space Exploration, at the Arizona State University, US.
9. J&K has registered highest IPD care in the country
· Jammu and Kashmir has registered the highest Inpatient Department, IPD care in the country.
· According to the report released by the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), New Delhi.
· As per the report, the 96% IPD care in rural areas of J&K is provided by Public Health Facilities.
· This facility is highest against the country’s average of 85%.
10. Himachal Pradesh Gov. launches “Himachal MyGov” portal & “CM App”
· The Himachal Pradesh Government has introduced a portal “Himachal MyGov” and become 11th state in India to have this facility.
· The portal aims to boost public participation in the governance process. With the help of portal, public will be able to communicate their views, suggestions, feedback as well discontentment to the state government.
· This will help the government to formulate policies and programs and make them more effective and result oriented.
11. 31st International Kite Festival begins in Ahmedabad
· The 31st International Kite Festival has been launched at Sabarmati river front in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
· Ahmedabad is hosting this festival since 1989.
· A large number of kite artists from across the world are participating in the festival to exhibit their skills.
· The festival is also taking place at nine other places across the state including Statue of Unity-Kevadiya, Surat and Vadodara.
12. Vikram Sarabhai Children Innovation Center to be set up in Gujarat
· The Vikram Sarabhai Children Innovation Center (VSCIC) will be set up in Gujarat.
· The Vikram Sarabhai Children Innovation Center (VSCIC) will identify, nurture and promote innovative abilities of children in the state.
· The above announcement was made during the Children’s Innovation Festival (CIF) taking place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
· Only School-going children up to 18 years old were allowed to participate in the Children’s Innovation Festival (CIF).
· The CIF is being organized by Gujarat University Start-ups and Entrepreneurship Council (GUSEC). GUSEC is an incubation centre created by Gujarat University in collaboration with UNICEF.
13. India and Oman conduct bilateral naval exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’
· India and Oman will conduct 12th edition of bilateral maritime exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ in Mormugao Port, Goa.
· ‘Naseem-Al-Bahr’ (or sea breeze) is a naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the RNO, being conducted since 1993.
· Indian Navy ships Beas and Subhadra and Oman Navy ships RNOV Al Rasikh and RNOV Khassab are participating in this exercise.
14. CCEA approves disinvestment of 4 CPSEs & 2 State PSUs in NINL
· The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its ‘in principle’ approval for strategic disinvestment of 4 Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) & 2 Odisha State PSUs in Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL).
· NINL is a Joint Venture company in which 4 CPSEs & 2 State PSUs have equity shareholding.
· The 4 CPSEs includes Minerals & Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC), MECON, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) and National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC).
· 2 Odisha State PSUs includes Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL) and Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).
15. Government authorizes Rs 5559 cr for Indradhanush gas grid project
· The Union Government has authorized the amount of Rs 5559 crore for 1656 Km long Indradhanush Natural Gas Pipeline Grid project.
· The amount will be provided as Viability Gap Funding (VGF).
· The amount will be used to set up Natural Gas Pipeline Grid connecting 8 North Eastern states.
· The 8 North Eastern states includes: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.
· The total expenditure of the project is estimated as Rs 9,256 crore and the above sanctioned amount is expected to cover 60% of the project.
16. Maharashtra CM to inaugrates “Advantage Maharashtra expo 2020”
· Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will inaugurate “Advantage Maharashtra expo 2020” in Aurangabad.
· The Exhibition has been organised by the Marathwada Association of Small Scale Industries and Agriculture (MASSIA).
· This Exhibition showcase the growth of Marathwada industries in technology and innovation and the products produced and exported from the region will be showcased in this exhibition.
17. A Sakthivel appointed as the new chairman of AEPC India
· A Sakthivel has been appointed as the new chairman of Apparel Export Promotion Council of India (AEPC) for the period 2020-21.
· He will replace HKL Magu. He is also the first person in the history of AEPC, who is sworn-in for the fourth time as Chairman of the AEPC.
18. Union Home Minister inaugurates I4C & National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
· Union Home Minister has inaugurated the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) located in New Delhi.
· The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal is a citizen centric vision which enables people to report cyber crimes online. The NCCRP will also provide access of cyber crime related complaints to the law enforcement agencies of the states and union territories to take action according to the law.
· It will also increase the coordination among the law enforcement agencies of the states and union territories in investigation of cases and resolving them. Presently, 3900 police stations and 700 police districts have been linked with the portal “cybercrime.gov.in”.
· It constitutes 7 elements: National Cyber Crime Research and Innovation Centre, National Cyber Crime Forensic Laboratory Ecosystem, National Cyber Crime Training Centre, Cyber Crime Ecosystem Management Unit, National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit, National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and Platform for Joint Cyber Crime Investigation Team.
19. India deploys INS Vikramaditya in Arabian Sea amid Ex.’Sea Guardians’
· India has deployed its aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya in Arabian Sea. The aircraft carrier was deployed amid the Pakistan-China naval exercise “Sea Guardians” taking place in North Arabian Sea.
ECONOMY
1. Union Minister of Commerce and Industries inaugurates NSE Knowledge Hub
· The Union Minister of Commerce and Industries inaugurated the National Stock Exchange (NSE) Knowledge Hub in New Delhi.
· The National Stock Exchange (NSE) Knowledge Hub is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered learning ecosystem that will assist the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector.
· The Knowledge Hub will fill in these gaps and help the financial sector to move into the future.
· It will enhance skills and help academic institutions in preparing future-ready talent for the financial service industry.
· It is also available on mobile and attempts to bring together world-class content and learners through this state- of- the- art and future-ready platform.
· This industry-driven learning eco-system will help India in building next-generation skills and capabilities in the BFSI sector.
2. India-Russia to sign MoUs on AK-203 assault rifles
· The Indian Army is to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the procurement of over 7.5 lakh AK-203 assault rifles with Russia.
· The rifles will be manufactured by the Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) at Korwa in Uttar Pradesh.
· The facility is being set up between the Ordnance Factories Board (OFB) from the Indian side, and Rosoboron Exports and Kalashnikov on the Russian side.
3. RBI revises supervisory framework for Urban Co-operative Bank
· The Reserve Bank of India has revised its supervisory framework for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs).
· The revised framework aims to expedite resolution of UCBs experiencing financial stress.
· The revised framework stipulates the thresholds for various parameters that could trigger a corrective action by the UCBs or a supervisory action by the central bank.
· A UCB may be placed under supervisory action framework under the following conditions:
· When its Net Non-Performing Asset (NPA) exceeds 6% of its net advances.
· When its Capital to Risk (Weighted) Assets Ratio (CRAR) falls below 9%.
· When it incurs losses for two consecutive financial years or has accumulated losses on its balance sheet.
· RBI could also undertake different actions like imposition of all-inclusive directions under section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
4. Shivalik Mercantile Co-op. Bank Ltd gets RBI’s approval to become SFB
· The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted “in-principle” approval to Shivalik Mercantile Co-operative Bank Limited for transition into a Small Finance Bank (SFB).
· The transition into a SFB will be under the “Scheme on voluntary transition of Urban Co-operative Bank into a Small Finance Bank” issued on September 27, 2018.
· The “in-principle” approval granted will be valid for 18 months to enable the applicant to comply with the requirements under the Scheme, the Guidelines for ‘on tap’ Licensing of Small Finance Banks in the Private Sector and fulfil other conditions as stipulated by the RBI.
· On being satisfied that the applicant has complied with the requisite conditions laid down by RBI as part of “in-principle” approval, the RBI would consider granting it a licence for commencement of banking business under Section 22 (1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 as a SFB.
5. Uber ties up with Hyundai to develop electric air taxis
· Uber Technologies Inc and automaker Hyundai Motor have teamed up to develop electric air taxis.
· The partnership aims to make small self-flying cars to ease urban congestion.
· The team is heading towards a goal of launching Uber Air by 2023 and urban air mobility service in 2028.
· Hyundai is the first carmaker to join Uber’s air taxi project.
· Hyundai will produce and deploy the vehicles while Uber will provide aerial ride-share services. Uber has partnered with eight companies for its air taxi project.
6. India gives $75 million LoC to Cuba for solar parks
· India has extended a line of credit (LoC) of USD 75 million (over Rs 500 crore) to Cuba.
· The line of credit is being provided to finance solar parks in Cuba.
· The line of credit is as per agreement signed between Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) and Banco Exterior De Cuba for installation of 75 MW Photovoltaic Solar Parks in the Republic of Cuba.
· Banco Exterior De Cuba is a nominated agency of the Government of Cuba.
7. RevFin and PNB MetLife in tie-up to offer life cover
· India’s leading Digital lending startup, RevFin has joined hands with PNB MetLife India Insurance Company to offer protection to the RevFin’s customers by bundling life insurance cover on their loans.
· This insurance covers loans up to ?3 lakh for a period of 3 years.
· The collaboration will help PNB MetLife to reach out to unbanked areas & drive greater financial inclusion in the country by securing the families of the borrowers against loan repayment in case of unfortunate death of the borrower.
8. Adani Ports to buy 75% stake in Krishnapatnam Port
· Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India’s largest private sector port operator, has agreed to buy a 75% stake in Krishnapatnam Port Co. Ltd (KPCL) at an enterprise value of Rs 13,572 crores.
· The Krishnapatnam Port is located in southern Andhra Pradesh and is a multi-cargo facility.
· It handled 54 million tonnes (mt) of cargo in the year ended 31 March 2019.
· The purchase will accelerate Adani Ports’ plan to expand its cargo-handling capacity to 400mt by 2025.
9. 2 Indian banks to end their operations in Sri Lanka
· The two Indian private sector lenders Axis Bank and ICICI Bank to close their operations in Sri Lanka after the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has permitted.
· The licenses issued by Central Bank of Sri Lanka will be cancelled once the winding-up operations are complete.
· The two banks are no longer to carry their banking operations, including accepting deposits from the public in Sri Lanka.
10. RBI allows to offer 24×7 rupee trading via select banks
· The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has enabled select banks in India to offer round-the-clock (24×7) trading in the Indian rupee to allow Indians to safeguard their foreign exchange (Forex) risks at any time.
· The select banks in India offered Indian customers foreign exchange rates only in inter-bank market hours from 9 am – 5 pm.
· This decision will also make the offshore currency markets in countries like Dubai & Singapore less attractive for Indian investors.
11. NSO projects India’s GDP growth rate for 2019-20 at 5%
· National Statistical Office (NSO) projects India’s GDP growth rate for 2019-20 at 5%.
· The decline has been mainly on account of deceleration in manufacturing sector growth, which is expected to come down to 2 per cent in 2019-20 from 6.2 per cent in the year-ago fiscal.
· The deceleration was also witnessed in sectors like agriculture, construction and electricity, gas and water supply.
12. State Bank of India has announces RBBG scheme
· The State Bank of India has announced ‘residential builder finance with buyer guarantee’ (RBBG) scheme.
· The aim of the scheme is to giving a push to residential sales and improve homebuyers’ confidence.
· The SBI will issue a guarantee for completion of select residential projects to customers who have availed home loans from it.
· The scheme will focus on affordable housing projects priced up to 2.50 crore rupees in 10 cities initially.
13. Deutsche Bank projects India’s economy to reach $7 trillion by 2030
· Deutsche Bank has projected that Indian economy will reach $7 trillion by 2030.
· The estimation was stated by Deutsche Bank in its research report “Imagine 2030”.
· According to the report, India will grow with the Nominal GDP growth rate of just over 10% in the next decade.
· Indian economy is presently valued at $3 trillion.
14. “Paperless Licensing Process” launched for Petroleum Road Tankers
· The “Paperless Licensing Process” has been launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), for Petroleum Road Tankers.
· DPIIT has launched the process through Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). The process has been launched under the Petroleum Rules, 2002.
· The “Paperless Licensing Process” will led to online filing of the applications including the fee payment and thus heading towards digitisation.
15. RBI releases “National Strategy for Financial Inclusion” report
· The Reserve Bank of India has released a report “National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI): 2019-2024“. The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion for the period 2019-2024 has been formulated by RBI under the aegis of Financial Inclusion Advisory Committee (FIAC).
· The report has been ratified by the Financial Stability Development Council (FSDC).
· As per the official statement, “the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2019-2024 sets forth the vision and key objectives of the financial inclusion policies in India to help expand and sustain the financial inclusion process at the national level through a broad convergence of action involving all the stakeholders in the financial sector.
· The strategy aims to provide access to formal financial services in an affordable manner, broadening & deepening financial inclusion and promoting financial literacy & consumer protection.”
The report stated the following 6 pillars as part of strategic objectives to achieve the aim of financial inclusion:
· Universal Access to Financial Services
· Providing basic bouquet of financial services
· Access to livelihood and Skill Development
· Financial Literacy and Education
· Customer Protection and Grievance Redressal
· Effective Co-ordination
International News
1. United States officially launches “US Space Force”
· United States President Donald Trump has signed the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
· With the signing of the act, US has authorised the establishment of US Space Force.
· The US Space Force will become the 6th branch of the armed forces.
· Space Force would become the youngest US military branch, and the first new service since the establishment of the US Air Force back in 1947.
· The Space Force would be part of the Department of the Air Force.
· The launch of the Space Force will be funded by an initial $40m for its first year. It will be led by Air Force General Jay Raymond.
2. Kochi to host global meet on marine ecosystem MECOS-3
· Kochi will host the 3rd international symposium on marine ecosystems challenges and opportunities (MECOS-3) from January 7 to 10.
· This symposium will be organised by the Marine Biological Association of India.
· Eminent marine scientists, oceanographers, fisheries researchers and marine biotechnologists from across the globe are expected to participate in the third international symposium on (MECOS-3).
3. UN declares Malala Yousafzai ‘Most Famous Teenager of The Decade’
· The United Nations has declared Pakistani education activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai as “Most Famous Teenager of The Decade”.
· The revelation has been made in its ‘Decade in Review’ report. Malala is working towards children’s rights ever since she was a teenager.
· In recognition of her efforts, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 and also become the youngest recipient of the award.
4. Neutral pronoun ‘they’ voted Word of the Decade
· Neutral pronoun ‘they’ has been voted word of the decade by US language experts.
· “They” is used in English by a growing number of non-binary individuals, people who do not identify as either male or female.
· They prefer the plural neutral pronoun to bypass using the pronouns “he” or “she”.
· The selection of “they” is an indication that how a personal expression of gender identity has become an increasing part of our shared discourse.
· The recognition comes after US dictionary Merriam-Webster in December named “they” as word of the year.
· The American Dialect Society had previously named “they” word of the year in 2015.
· Other contenders in the decade category included #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, climate, emoji, meme, the opioid crisis and woke.
5. UAE Cabinet validates Multi-entry Tourist Visa valid for 5 years
· The UAE Cabinet has validated the Multi-entry Tourist Visa which would be valid for 5 years.
· The Multi-entry Tourist Visa facility would be available for all nationalities visiting the UAE.
· The decision was taken in the UAE’s Cabinet meeting which was held at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi.
· The decision has been made to boost the UAE’s tourism economy.
· It also aims to stabilise UAE’s position as a global tourist destination. “Visa waiver” for Mexican citizens visiting the UAE was also introduced during the meeting.
6. US Armed Forces & Pentagon designated as ‘terrorist entities’ by IRAN
· The Iranian parliament has designated US Armed Forces & Pentagon as ‘Terrorist Entities’ with a motion passed at an open parliament session.
· It also seeks the allocation of 200 Million Euros to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.
· The allocation to the IRGC Quds Force could be used avenge the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, Iraq’s Popular Forces Commander Abu Mahdi al-Modandis and eight other military men.
7. Former PM Zoran Milanovic wins croatia presidential election
· Former Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic belongs Social Democratic Party(SDP) won Croatia’s presidential election.
· He defeated centre-right incumbent Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who was the first female president of Croatia.
8. Ukrainian aircraft boarding 176 people crashes in Iran
· The Ukrainian aircraft “Boeing 737” boarding 176 people crashed in Tehran, Iran.
· The aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport located in Tehran, Iran.
· Flight data from the airport indicated the obstruction in communication with the aircraft as fire strucked one of its engines and pilot lost the control of the aircraft.
9. India hosts 5th Asia Pacific drosophila research conference in Pune
· The 5th edition of the Asia Pacific Drosophila Research Conference (APDRC5) held in Pune, Maharashtra.
· The conference is being conducted in India for the 1st time.
· It is organised by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER).
· The aims of the conference are to promote the interaction of Drosophila researchers in the Asia-Pacific region with their peers in the rest of the world.
10. India listed as 5th biggest Geo-political Risk of 2020
· India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been listed as the 5th biggest Geo-political Risk of 2020.
· The listing was done by Eurasia Group in its report.
· The report states ‘Top 10 Risks’ of the year 2020.
The Top 10 Risks of 2020 are as followed:
1. RIGGED! WHO GOVERNS THE US?
2. THE GREAT DECOUPLING
3. US/CHINA
4. MNCS NOT TO THE RESCUE
5. INDIA GETS MODI-FIED
6. GEOPOLITICAL EUROPE
7. POLITICS VS. ECONOMICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
8. SHIA CRESCENDO
9. DISCONTENT IN LATIN AMERICA
10. TURKEY
Sports
1. Bhubaneswar to host 1st edition of Khelo India University Games
· The 1st edition of Khelo India University Games is scheduled to be held at the KIIT University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha from February 22 to March 1, 2020.
· Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled the logo and jersey of Khelo India University Games.
· Khelo India University Games will witness over 4,000 athletes from 100 Universities across India vying for top honours in 17 different disciplines namely archery, athletics, boxing, fencing, judo, swimming, weight-lifting, wrestling, badminton, basketball, football, hockey, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, rugby and kabaddi.
2. Leo Carter becomes 7th cricketer to hit six 6s in an over
· New Zealand‘s batsman Leo Carter has become the seventh batsman in the history of cricket to smash six 6s in an over.
· He achieved the feat in New Zealand’s domestic T20 tournament Super Smash.
· Representing Canterbury, he smashed Knight’s bowler Anton Devcich for six 6s in the 16th over of the innings.
· Other 6 players who have achieved the feat are: Gary Sobers (West Indies), Ravi Shastri (India), Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa), Yuvraj Singh (India), Ross Whiteley (England) and Hazratullah Zazai (Afghanistan).
· When it comes to T20 cricket, Carter is just the fourth batsman to achieve the feat. Yuvraj is the only batsman to have scored six 6s in an international T20I.
3. P Magesh Chandran wins 95th Hastings International Chess title
· India’s P Magesh Chandran wins the title in the 95th edition of the prestigious Hastings International Chess Congress at Hastings in England. France’s Romain Edouard, who was the only player to end the tournament a half-point behind Chandran, took the second spot.
4. All-rounder Irfan Pathan retires from all forms of cricket
· Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
· He last played for India in October 2012. He played 29 Tests, 120 ODIs and 24 T20Is.
· He was part of the victorious Indian team at the 2007 World Twenty20 and was the man-of-the-match in the final against Pakistan.
· He made his debut at the age of 19 in 2003.
5. Saurabh Chaudhary wins gold at 63rd National Shooting C’ship
· Indian shooter Saurabh Chaudhary has won the men’s 10 metres air pistol gold medal at the 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
· Second-placed Sarabjot Singh of Haryana, while world number two Abhishek Verma settled for bronze in a high-quality final.
· Abhishek and Sarabjot together won the team gold for Haryana. Sarabjot also won the junior men’s gold.
6. World Cup winner Daniele De Rossi from Italy retires from football
· Italian Veteran footballer Daniele De Rossi announced his retirement. He won the 2006 world cup title for Italy after defeating France.
· He has played 117 games for Italy from 2004-17.
7. Women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur banned for 4 years by NADA
· Indian women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur has been banned for 4 years from the sport by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA).
· This ban was imposed on her for involving in doping violation.
· The sample of Sarbjeet was collected during 34th Women Senior National Weightlifting Championship held at Vishakhapatnam.
Books and Authors
1. ‘Karmayoddha Granth’: A book on the life of PM Narendra Modi launched
· Union Home Minister released a book ‘Karmayoddha Granth’ on the life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
· A ‘Karmayoddha’ is a man with a beating heart for people, a statesman, a hard taskmaster, an able administrator and an ideal leader who leads by example.
· All these qualities have been personified by Narendra Modi.
Awards
1. K. Srikkanth & Anjum Chopra to get CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award
· Krishnamachari Srikkanth & Anjum Chopra will be conferred with the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.
· Krishnamachari Srikkanth will be the recipient of 2019’s prestigious CK Nayudu Lifetime Award.
· Former India women’s captain Anjum Chopra is the co-recipient of the lifetime achievement award for the year 2019.
· Srikkanth and Anjum will be conferred with the Lifetime Achievement award by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for their contributions to Indian cricket.
2. Jasbinder Bilan wins 2019 Costa Children’s Award
· Jasbinder Bilan has won the UK based Costa Children’s Award 2019 . She has won the award for her debut novel ‘Asha and the Spirit Bird’.
· She will receive 5,000 pounds as prize money associated with the award. Jasbinder’s novel “Asha and the Spirit Bird” was shortlisted from 144 other entries.
· The Costa Children’s Award is awarded annually in 5 categories: First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book.
Important Days
·
· 8 January African National Congress Foundation Day
· 9 January NRI (Non-Resident Indian) Day or Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
· 12 January National Youth Day

Current Affairs

2020, January 6th– 12th

National News

1. Journalists’ Day celebrated on 6th January in Maharashtra

· Journalists’ Day is celebrated on 6th of January of every year in the state of Maharashtra.

· The day is celebrated in the memory of late thespian journalist Balshashtri Jambhekar.

· Balshastri Jambhekar, is also known as ‘The Father of Marathi Journalism’, for his efforts in starting journalism in Marathi language.

2. 2nd phase of Mission Indradhanush-2 begins

· The 2nd phase of Mission Indradhanush 2.0 rolled out at the block level in 35 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

· The aim of the program launched by the central government in 2017 is to achieve 90% vaccination coverage in children of less than 2 years in the state.

· Under the program around 66 thousand sessions will be organized for vaccination of more than 5.5 lakh children and around 1.3 lakh pregnant women of the state.

· The focus of immunization is on urban, underserved population and tribal areas. Intensified Mission Indradhanush will be conducted till March 2020.

3. Ex-CRPF DG Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar appointed as Advisor to J&K LG

· Former Director-General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar has been appointed as Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

· With this, the Lieutenant Governor of J&K Union Territory will have three Advisors.

· The other two Advisors: KK Sharma and Farooq Khan were appointed on November 14, 2019.

4. Challakere to be ISRO’s astronaut training hub

· The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has proposed Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) at Challakere in Chitradurga district of Karnataka.

· The facility is expected to become operational in 3 years.

· ISRO aims to establish a self-contained training facility here. At present, astronauts part of Gaganyaan Mission, the Human Spaceflight Programme of ISRO are trained in Russia.

· The centre aims at bringing in all the features that are provided by Russia and begin training astronauts within the country.

5. AIIMS’ Prof Suresh Chandra Sharma as first chief of NMC

· The chief of Delhi AIIMS’ ENT head-neck surgery department, Professor Suresh Chandra Sharma, was appointed the chairman of National Medical Commission.

· The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Sharma for a period of three years or till the age of 70 years.

· Rakesh Kumar Vats, the secretary-general in the board of governors of the Medical Council of India (MCI), has been appointed as the secretary of the Commission for the similar term.

6. H.K. Joshi appointed as CMD of Shipping Corporation of India

· Shipping Corporation of India has appointed Harjeet Kaur Joshi as the new Chairperson & Managing Director of the company.

· She will also hold the additional charge of the post of Director (Finance) of the company for a period of 3 months.

· She is a Fellow Member of The Institute of Cost Accountants of India.

7. Aayushi Dholakia becomes Miss Teen International 2019

· Aayushi Dholakia has bagged the title of Miss Teen International 2019.

· She also bagged the titles of Best in National Costume Award and Best in Speech Award.

· Girls from 22 countries participated in the event to win the coveted title. Yessenia Garcia from Paraguay and Anicia Gaothusi from Botswana became the First and second Runners-Up respectively.

· Miss Teen International is the world’s oldest running teen pageant.

8. International team of astronomers finds farthest galaxy group EGS77

· An international team of astronomers funded in part by NASA has found the farthest galaxy group identified as “EGS77“.

· EGS77, the trio of galaxies dates to a time when the universe was only 680 million years old, or less than 5% of its current age of 13.8 billion years. EGS77 is the farthest group of galaxies to have ever been sighted. EGS77 was discovered as part of the Cosmic Deep And Wide Narrowband (Cosmic DAWN) survey.

· The team of astronomers was led by an Indian-origin Goa-born scientist, Vithal Tilvi.

· Vithal Tilvi is currently a visiting researcher at the School of Earth & Space Exploration, at the Arizona State University, US.

9. J&K has registered highest IPD care in the country

· Jammu and Kashmir has registered the highest Inpatient Department, IPD care in the country.

· According to the report released by the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), New Delhi.

· As per the report, the 96% IPD care in rural areas of J&K is provided by Public Health Facilities.

· This facility is highest against the country’s average of 85%.

10. Himachal Pradesh Gov. launches “Himachal MyGov” portal & “CM App”

· The Himachal Pradesh Government has introduced a portal “Himachal MyGov” and become 11th state in India to have this facility.

· The portal aims to boost public participation in the governance process. With the help of portal, public will be able to communicate their views, suggestions, feedback as well discontentment to the state government.

· This will help the government to formulate policies and programs and make them more effective and result oriented.

11. 31st International Kite Festival begins in Ahmedabad

· The 31st International Kite Festival has been launched at Sabarmati river front in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

· Ahmedabad is hosting this festival since 1989.

· A large number of kite artists from across the world are participating in the festival to exhibit their skills.

· The festival is also taking place at nine other places across the state including Statue of Unity-Kevadiya, Surat and Vadodara.

12. Vikram Sarabhai Children Innovation Center to be set up in Gujarat

· The Vikram Sarabhai Children Innovation Center (VSCIC) will be set up in Gujarat.

· The Vikram Sarabhai Children Innovation Center (VSCIC) will identify, nurture and promote innovative abilities of children in the state.

· The above announcement was made during the Children’s Innovation Festival (CIF) taking place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

· Only School-going children up to 18 years old were allowed to participate in the Children’s Innovation Festival (CIF).

· The CIF is being organized by Gujarat University Start-ups and Entrepreneurship Council (GUSEC). GUSEC is an incubation centre created by Gujarat University in collaboration with UNICEF.

· Union Home Minister has inaugurated the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) located in New Delhi.

· The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal is a citizen centric vision which enables people to report cyber crimes online. The NCCRP will also provide access of cyber crime related complaints to the law enforcement agencies of the states and union territories to take action according to the law.

· It will also increase the coordination among the law enforcement agencies of the states and union territories in investigation of cases and resolving them. Presently, 3900 police stations and 700 police districts have been linked with the portal “cybercrime.gov.in”.

· The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted “in-principle” approval to Shivalik Mercantile Co-operative Bank Limited for transition into a Small Finance Bank (SFB).

· The transition into a SFB will be under the “Scheme on voluntary transition of Urban Co-operative Bank into a Small Finance Bank” issued on September 27, 2018.

· The “in-principle” approval granted will be valid for 18 months to enable the applicant to comply with the requirements under the Scheme, the Guidelines for ‘on tap’ Licensing of Small Finance Banks in the Private Sector and fulfil other conditions as stipulated by the RBI.

· On being satisfied that the applicant has complied with the requisite conditions laid down by RBI as part of “in-principle” approval, the RBI would consider granting it a licence for commencement of banking business under Section 22 (1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 as a SFB.

5. Uber ties up with Hyundai to develop electric air taxis

· Uber Technologies Inc and automaker Hyundai Motor have teamed up to develop electric air taxis.

· The partnership aims to make small self-flying cars to ease urban congestion.

· The team is heading towards a goal of launching Uber Air by 2023 and urban air mobility service in 2028.

· Hyundai is the first carmaker to join Uber’s air taxi project.

· Hyundai will produce and deploy the vehicles while Uber will provide aerial ride-share services. Uber has partnered with eight companies for its air taxi project.

6. India gives $75 million LoC to Cuba for solar parks

· India has extended a line of credit (LoC) of USD 75 million (over Rs 500 crore) to Cuba.

· The line of credit is being provided to finance solar parks in Cuba.

· The line of credit is as per agreement signed between Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) and Banco Exterior De Cuba for installation of 75 MW Photovoltaic Solar Parks in the Republic of Cuba.

· Banco Exterior De Cuba is a nominated agency of the Government of Cuba.

7. RevFin and PNB MetLife in tie-up to offer life cover

· India’s leading Digital lending startup, RevFin has joined hands with PNB MetLife India Insurance Company to offer protection to the RevFin’s customers by bundling life insurance cover on their loans.

· This insurance covers loans up to ?3 lakh for a period of 3 years.

· The collaboration will help PNB MetLife to reach out to unbanked areas & drive greater financial inclusion in the country by securing the families of the borrowers against loan repayment in case of unfortunate death of the borrower.

· The Krishnapatnam Port is located in southern Andhra Pradesh and is a multi-cargo facility.

· It handled 54 million tonnes (mt) of cargo in the year ended 31 March 2019.

· The purchase will accelerate Adani Ports’ plan to expand its cargo-handling capacity to 400mt by 2025.

9. 2 Indian banks to end their operations in Sri Lanka

· The two Indian private sector lenders Axis Bank and ICICI Bank to close their operations in Sri Lanka after the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has permitted.

· The licenses issued by Central Bank of Sri Lanka will be cancelled once the winding-up operations are complete.

· The two banks are no longer to carry their banking operations, including accepting deposits from the public in Sri Lanka.

10. RBI allows to offer 24×7 rupee trading via select banks

· The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has enabled select banks in India to offer round-the-clock (24×7) trading in the Indian rupee to allow Indians to safeguard their foreign exchange (Forex) risks at any time.

· Deutsche Bank has projected that Indian economy will reach $7 trillion by 2030.

· The estimation was stated by Deutsche Bank in its research report “Imagine 2030”.

· According to the report, India will grow with the Nominal GDP growth rate of just over 10% in the next decade.

· Indian economy is presently valued at $3 trillion.

14. “Paperless Licensing Process” launched for Petroleum Road Tankers

· The “Paperless Licensing Process” has been launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), for Petroleum Road Tankers.

· DPIIT has launched the process through Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). The process has been launched under the Petroleum Rules, 2002.

· The “Paperless Licensing Process” will led to online filing of the applications including the fee payment and thus heading towards digitisation.

15. RBI releases “National Strategy for Financial Inclusion” report

· The Reserve Bank of India has released a report “National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI): 2019-2024“. The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion for the period 2019-2024 has been formulated by RBI under the aegis of Financial Inclusion Advisory Committee (FIAC).

· The report has been ratified by the Financial Stability Development Council (FSDC).

· As per the official statement, “the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2019-2024 sets forth the vision and key objectives of the financial inclusion policies in India to help expand and sustain the financial inclusion process at the national level through a broad convergence of action involving all the stakeholders in the financial sector.

· The Iranian parliament has designated US Armed Forces & Pentagon as ‘Terrorist Entities’ with a motion passed at an open parliament session.

· It also seeks the allocation of 200 Million Euros to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.

· The allocation to the IRGC Quds Force could be used avenge the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, Iraq’s Popular Forces Commander Abu Mahdi al-Modandis and eight other military men.

· When it comes to T20 cricket, Carter is just the fourth batsman to achieve the feat. Yuvraj is the only batsman to have scored six 6s in an international T20I.

3. P Magesh Chandran wins 95th Hastings International Chess title

· India’s P Magesh Chandran wins the title in the 95th edition of the prestigious Hastings International Chess Congress at Hastings in England. France’s Romain Edouard, who was the only player to end the tournament a half-point behind Chandran, took the second spot.

4. All-rounder Irfan Pathan retires from all forms of cricket

· Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

· He last played for India in October 2012. He played 29 Tests, 120 ODIs and 24 T20Is.

· He was part of the victorious Indian team at the 2007 World Twenty20 and was the man-of-the-match in the final against Pakistan.

· He made his debut at the age of 19 in 2003.

5. Saurabh Chaudhary wins gold at 63rd National Shooting C’ship

· Indian shooter Saurabh Chaudhary has won the men’s 10 metres air pistol gold medal at the 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

· Second-placed Sarabjot Singh of Haryana, while world number two Abhishek Verma settled for bronze in a high-quality final.

· Abhishek and Sarabjot together won the team gold for Haryana. Sarabjot also won the junior men’s gold.

6. World Cup winner Daniele De Rossi from Italy retires from football

· Italian Veteran footballer Daniele De Rossi announced his retirement. He won the 2006 world cup title for Italy after defeating France.

· He has played 117 games for Italy from 2004-17.

7. Women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur banned for 4 years by NADA

· Indian women weightlifter Sarbjeet Kaur has been banned for 4 years from the sport by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA).

· This ban was imposed on her for involving in doping violation.

· The sample of Sarbjeet was collected during 34th Women Senior National Weightlifting Championship held at Vishakhapatnam.

Books and Authors

1. ‘Karmayoddha Granth’: A book on the life of PM Narendra Modi launched

· Union Home Minister released a book ‘Karmayoddha Granth’ on the life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

· A ‘Karmayoddha’ is a man with a beating heart for people, a statesman, a hard taskmaster, an able administrator and an ideal leader who leads by example.

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